Lightening composition comprising ginseng-derived exosome-like vesicles

Abstract

Disclosed are: a lightening composition comprising ginseng-derived exosome-like vesicles; and a method for producing the ginseng-derived exosome-like vesicles. The ginseng-derived exosome-like vesicles may have a diameter of between 20 and 500 nm, and may be isolated from ginseng root. Because the composition comprises the ginseng-derived exosome-like vesicles as an active ingredient, said composition is effective in preventing, improving or treating skin pigmentation conditions such as liver spots, freckles, lentigo, birth marks and melanoma by effectively suppressing the production of melanin.

We claim: 
     
       1. A method for skin whitening, comprising administering an effective amount of an isolated ginseng-derived exosome-like vesicle for skin whitening to a subject in need thereof. 
     
     
       2. The method for skin whitening according to  claim 1 , wherein the exosome-like vesicle is isolated from  ginseng  root. 
     
     
       3. The method for skin whitening according to  claim 1 , wherein the exosome-like vesicle has a diameter of 20-500 nm. 
     
     
       4. The method for skin whitening according to  claim 1 , wherein the exosome-like vesicle is precipitated by ultracentrifugation of the extracellular fluid of  ginseng  at 100,000×g or higher. 
     
     
       5. The method for skin whitening according to  claim 1 , wherein the exosome-like vesicle has a buoyant density of 1.00-1.20 g/mL in iodixanol. 
     
     
       6. The method for skin whitening according to  claim 1 , wherein the exosome-like vesicle inhibits melanin production. 
     
     
       7. The method for skin whitening according to  claim 1 , wherein the exosome-like vesicle prevents, improves or treats one or more skin pigmentation disease selected from the group consisting of melasma, freckle, lentigo, nevus, melanoma, drug-induced pigmentation, post-inflammatory pigmentation and dermatitis-induced pigmentation. 
     
     
       8. A method for preparing an isolated ginseng-derived exosome-like vesicle, comprising:
 (1) a step of obtaining a juice by squeezing  ginseng;    
 (2) a step of centrifuging the juice and obtaining a supernatant by removing the remnant; and 
 (3) a step of obtaining an exosome-like vesicle by ultracentrifuging the supernatant. 
 
     
     
       9. The method for preparing a ginseng-derived exosome-like vesicle according to  claim 8 , wherein the centrifugation in the step (2) is performed at 500-3,000×g for 10-30 minutes. 
     
     
       10. The method for preparing a ginseng-derived exosome-like vesicle according to  claim 8 , wherein the ultracentrifugation in the step (3) is performed using a sucrose cushion density gradient and an iodixanol density gradient. 
     
     
       11. The method for preparing a ginseng-derived exosome-like vesicle according to  claim 8 , wherein the ultracentrifugation in the step (3) is performed at 100,000-200,000×g for 1-6 hours. 
     
     
       12. The method for preparing a ginseng-derived exosome-like vesicle according to  claim 8 , wherein, in the step (3), the exosome-like vesicle is obtained by ultracentrifuging the supernatant and then separating a fraction having a buoyant density of 1.00-1.20 g/mL in iodixanol.